“In all areas, cooperation has been impressive” in the nation’s construction, “regarding financing and sectoral support, area by area, and it has multiplied already in the new century, with the various governments. It is unstoppable,” stated Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, following the solemn session in parliament and before a military parade.
“We have created a partnership that is truly unique, singular, in both senses,” with more than 20,000 Portuguese on the islands and over 50,000 Cape Verdeans in Portugal.
These diasporas connect when they meet abroad, just as the two states act “together in international organizations: we are always aligned,” he summarized.
With the second term coming to an end, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa reflects: “In 10 years I must have been here about 20 times,” attending various events, “just as the presidents of Cape Verde have spent their lives in Portugal.”
The archipelago celebrates today 50 years of independence, proclaimed at the Estádio da Várzea (currently the city center of Praia) on July 5, 1975, marking the end of Portuguese colonial rule in the archipelago.
The celebration program in the capital includes a solemn session in parliament, a military parade, and a commemorative session with speeches from some visiting heads of state (Portugal, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Luxembourg), scheduled for 18:00 (20:00 in Lisbon).
Simultaneously, an extensive cultural program includes exhibitions, conferences, and musical performances with dozens of artists at various locations throughout the city.
